Knitting-machine and knit fabric



(Specimens.) A 4` Sheets- Sheet -1.

C. OLDER. KNITTING MACHINE AND KNIT FABRIC.

No. 552,583. Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

(Specimens.)

n 4 sheets-sheet 2.

C. OLDLR.V 'KNITTING MACHINE AND KNIT ]'U3RI(. No. 552,553.l

(Specimens.)

4 Sheets-sheen 3.

0. OLDER. NNII'IING MACHINE AND KNIT FABRIC.

Patented .15.5. 7, 1895.

4 sheets-sheet 4.

(Specimens.)

'0. OLDER. KNITTING MACHINE AND KNIT PABMG.

No. 552,583. Pat'entedJan. 7, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEricE.

CLARK OLDER, OF PORTAGF., VISOOSIN.

KNiTTlrNG-IVIACHINE AND KNIT FABRIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,583, `dated January 7, 1896.

Application filed February 4, 1895.

To all whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, CLARK OLDER, of Portage, in the county of Columbia and State of Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Knitting-Machines and Knit i Fabrics, of which the 'following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this speci-` fication.

My invention has relation to improvements in knitting-machines.

The device is adapted to be used with those circular-knitting machines in common use employing a plurality of threads, and in which there is a stationary needle-cylinder, a camcylinder revoluble about the needle-cylinder, and vertically-reciprocable needles actuated by the cam-cylinder, the device accomplishing especially satisfactoryv results with a machine in which the needles alternately have short and long toes actuated by cams, one of which at least, if the cain-cylin der is revolving continuously in one direction, or if oscillating, then when moving in one direction, passing the needles having the short toes without putting them into action.

The primary object is to provide a con-l struction capable of producing a fabric having loose inner loops, whereby said fabric is rendered thicker, warmer, more comfortable, and of better wearing capacity than the ordinary knit goods.

The invention also contemplates as an object means whereby the mechanism for forming the loose loop may be thrown out of action, when desired, for the purpose of forniing the ordinary stitch.

NVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the devices and parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully set forth. y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the device in connection with a needle-cylinderand cam-cylinder of a form now in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the complete device. Fig. 8 is aplan View of the attachment, with apart broken away. Fig. e is a plan view of the pin-supporting plate, showing a number of the pins projecting outwardly beyond the edge of the plate and which is the position to which they are forced by the action of the cam. Fig. 5 is an Serial No. 537,241. (No model.)

inverted plan view of the pin-cam casing. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the lower portion of the attachment, showing the needle-cylinder plan view of a form of cam now in use. Fig. 10 is a developed view of Fig. 9. Fig."11 is a section on the line 11 11 of Fig. 10. Fig.

12 is a view, on an enlarged scale and in diagram, showing the different positions of the needles and the pins during the operation of knitting when a cam-cylinder of the form shown in Figs. 1, 9, 10 and l1 is employed. Fig. 13 is an enlarged elevation of a fragment of the knit fabric. Fig. 14 is a plan of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is an outer face view of a fragment'of the cam-cylinder. Fig. 16 is a transverse section of Fig. 15 on the line 16 16. Fig. 17 is a view of a fragment of the inner side of the fabric, showing clearly the inner long loops arranged adjacent to each other to form a practically continuous inner lining..

Like numerals and letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 15 indicates a bed-plate having the needle-cylinder 1G projecting upwardly therefrom, in the grooves of which the needles reciprocate vertically. Revolving about the needle-cylinder is the cam-cylinder 17.

The numerals 18 18 indicate standards which at their lower ends are secured rigidly to the cam-cylinder and at their upper ends are connected by a cross-piece 19, which is provided with a central upwardly-extending apertured boss 20. Passing through thisapertured boss is a vertical shaft 21, provided with a threaded portion 22, which is adapted to receive a nut 23, which nut rests upon the upper end of the boss, and thereby supports the shaft. The nut -is advisably provided with a series of peripheral recesses adaptedV to receive a suitable turning tool. The upper end of the shaft is reduced to form a spoolspindle 24. The lower end of this spindle is threaded, as indicated at 25, which threaded portion is adapted to engage the threaded Fig. 9 is a IOO aperture of a spool-supporting plate 26, said plate provided with a projecting arm 27, which arm in turn is provided with a yarn stand or supporter 28.

Upon the shaft below the cross-piece 19 is a disk 29, said disk being provided with an upwardly-eXtending integral collar 30, through which a set-screw 31 is passed and by which means the disk is held fast to said shaft. The disk is provided with a peripheral notch 32, adapted normally to be engaged by a spring-actuated dog 33 carried by the crosspiece.

Upon the shaft below the disk is a pincam casing 34. This casing is provided with an upwardly extending tubular portion 35 through which a screw 36 is adapted to pass and engage the shaft, whereby the casing is held rigid to the shaft. Secured beneath the casing and against the depending` flange 37 thereof are curved outer cam-plates 38. A passage-way 39 is formed in this outer plate, which leads to and registers with a slot 40 in the depending` flange of the casing. The inner cam portion is formed of two parts, one of which, 41, is secured rigid in the casing, while the other, 42, is adjustable radially therein. These two sections 41 and 42 are of approximate U shape, and the adjustable one is adapted to telescope in the recess 43 of the rigid section. The adjustment is attained by means of a lug 44, secured to the upper side of cam-section 42 and working in a slot 45 for its accommodation in the pin-casing. The lug has secured to its upper side a plate 46, which plate rests upon the upper face of the pin-casing. Projecting from the plate is a stud 47, which stud is adapted to enter an elongated slot V48 in one arm of a pivoted bell crank lever 49, said bell-crank lever being provided with a suitable handle 50 for operating it. The curved edges of the outer cam-plates 38 and the curved edges of the inner cams 41 and 42 form the walls of a cam-slot 51.

It will be noticed that when the adjustable part 42 is in the position shown in Fig. 5, which is its normal position, the curved edge of said adjustable part, in connection with the tapering ends of the cam-plates 38, brings the cam-slot at this point much nearer the de pending flange 37 than at other points.

Below the casing 34 is a pin-supportin g plate 52, provided centrally with a depending-hub 53, through which the shaft passes freely. The lower end of this hub bears against and is supported by a collar 54 held fast to the shaft by means of screws 55 55. The upper face of the plate 52 is provided with a series of radial grooves 56, (see Fig. 4,) in which the pins 57 are arranged. lVhen the parts are properly adjusted together, and it is desired to place the pins within the grooves, a convenient way The upper end of the collar 54 is provided with an annular rim or flange 59, having a notch 60 therein, said notch adapted to be engaged by a springactuated dog 61,l pivoted within the recess of the hub 53, the function of which dog will be hereinafter described.

The needle-cylinder is provided upon its inner side with an inwardly-projecting lug 62, which is adapted to extend into a recess of a part depending from the pin-supporting plate, which lug contacting with the bordering edge of the recess will prevent the turning of the pin-plate. The depending part is preferably formed of two sections. One of these sections 63 depends from and is connected rigidly to the under side of the pin-plate, and the other section 64 is of an approximate inverted L shape,with its upper member fitting in a dovetail recess 65 of section 63, and provided with an elongated slot 66 through which a set-screw 67 passes, whereby said member may be adjusted, and the width of the recess into which the lug 62 extends thereby conveniently regnlated. As the knit fabric has to pass over the lug 62, it is of course obvious that it is always necessary to have a space between said lug and the walls of the recess. By adjusting the width of this recess it may be made to accommodate itself to different thicknesses of knit fabric.

The numerals 68 68 indicate theneedles which reciprocate vertically in the grooves of the needle-cylinder 16, and 69 69 indicate the ordinary guides through which the yarns pass on their way to the needles.

As the standards 18 18 are connected to the cam-cylinder, it is obvious that in the operation of my device said standards are carried around with the cam-cylinder, and in turn carry therewith the connecting cross-piece 19. This cross-piece, through the medium of the dog 33 engaging the notch of the disk 32, causes the shaft 21 to rotate toward the right of Fig. 1. As the shaft is thus rotated it carries with it the pin-cam casing 34, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. In the rotation of the casin g in this manner, with the part 42 of the cam at the adjustment indicated in Fig. 5, it is obvious that as fast as the toes of the pin enter the portion of the cam-slot 51 nearest the depending flange 37 said pins will be forced outwardly in the radial grooves 56, and subsequently drawn in again as this portion of the cam-slot leaves them, and so on continuously during the revolution, each separate pin being similarly affected.

As stated at the outset of the specification, a preferred use of my attachment is in connection with machines in which the needles alternately have short and long toes actuated by cams, one of which at least, if the camcylinder is revolved continuously in one direction, or if oscillated or reciproca-ted, then when moved in one direction, passes the needles having short toes without putting them into action. As machines of this character necessarily employ needle-cams of peculiar IOO construction, lhave deemed it best, in order to clearly show the applicationof mydevice;`

thereto, to `illustrate and describe the cam-` cylinder and cams `employed in such ma-l chines, and whichare, therefore, shown in Fig. l, and in detail on `Sheet 4. Arranged in connection with the inner face of this ca1n-cyl` inder are vertically-movable wedge shaped stitch-cams 68 683 and an annular ledge 69/l eX tending nearly around the whole inner face of the earn-cylinder. The wed ge-shaped` stitchcams are attached by the pins 7 0 7 0 to blocks 7l 7l adapted to slide vertically in `suitable slots, one of which slots and the block therein are shown clearly in Fig. l. i The said pins 7 O' 7 O' project outwardly from the cam-cylinder, and when said cylinder is rotated in either direction one of, the pins will ride up an in clined cam 72 and the other down a corre-1 sponding inclined cam72. These cams are rigid to and project upwardly from a segmental plate 7 3, which plate rests loosely in an annular groove formed in a ring 7 4, which latter encircles the outside of the cam-cylinf der and is attached to the bed-plate by suit-` able screws.

Vithin the space left by the division of the annular ledge 69 and riveted to the camcylinder is an inverted-V-shaped plate 75, which constitutes the needle-elevating cam, Iit being of such size as to leave channels `76 7 6 between it andthe movable'stitch-cams 68 `683 for thepassage of the heels of the needles. This plate is made about one-fourth of the thickness of the annular ledge 69H and of the stitch-cams 68 683, the difference being approximately the difference between the length of the long-toed needles and the toest of the short-toed needles.

The plate is provided at opposite edges with diagonal slots 77 7 7 in which slots slidepieces 78 and 79,respectively,work, said slidepieces being actuated by means of nuts 8O 80. Above the plate 75 and the stitch-cams 68 683 is arranged the guide-plate 8l.

A Vshaped depression 82 is formed in the cam-cylinder in advance of the verticallymovable stitch-cams. In this depression works an auxiliary cam 83, which is attached to a blockSAl by means of a pin 85. The block Works in a suitable slot therefor in the camcylinder, and the pin projects outwardlyfromthe cam-cylinder and enters a head 86. Above one end of the auxiliary cam is a sliding guideblock 87, which is operated by means of a nut 88. This guide-block, when pushed inwardly by pressure on the nut 88, causes the toes of the needles to be caught in the depression 82. Vhen said guide-block is pulled outwardly to bring its end flush with the inner face of the cam-cylinder by a pull on the nut 88 and the cam 83 is depressed by means presently` to be described, the needles pass abovethe upper edge of the cani 83. This nut 88 when operated also acts to operate a pivoted arrn 89 by means of a cam-surface 96 formed beneath the shankof the nut. Then the nut is pulled out, a drawsthe guide-block si' flush` being assisted by means of the spring 97.`

When the nut is pushed in, it is obvious that a reverse operationtakes place. l

The operation is asfollows: ln the roundand-round knitting the cam-cylinder and vertical shaft are `revolved tothe right. ln this rotation the stitch-cam 683 is held in a raised position by its pin70, said pin having been carried up to the upper end of the cam 72 by the rotation of the cam-cylinder,while the stitch-cam 68 is held in its lowermost position by reason of its pin having been carried to the lower end ofthe other cam 72. Of course with the continued rotation of the ca1ncylinder the relative position of theseparts is not changed, as the pin 7 O` of stitch-cam 683 produces sufficient friction on its cam 72 to carry the segmental plate 7 3 around with the cam-cylinder- In this round-and-round knitting it will be understood that l both threads are employed. The rstthread which passes through the guide 69' is engaged by the needles raised by meansrof the liftingcam 98 of the guide-block 87, which. lifts all of the needles preparatory to being depressed by the depressing-cam 99 of the guide-block in connection with the auxiliary cain 83. As the needles are thus depressed they are forced into `the space 82, thus forming a loop 93 or 100 on every needle, inasmuch as at this point of the operation the pins 57 are not forced out radially. The toes of the needles pass from out of the space 82 as the cam-cyl- The slide-piece 79 being ing the long-toed needles only to engage the second thread which passes through the 'guide 69, and at which time the pins 57 are projected radially from the plate 52 between the needles to engage the thread and hohl it to make the loose back loops 94, while the needles form the shorter loops 92 between` said loose back loops 94, which shorter loops 92 are enchained with the iirst thread. The toes of all the needles are neXt received in the chanA nel 76, and are finally lifted to the ledge 69 ready for a repetition of the operation just described. l

`The diagrammatic view, Fig. l2, shows the several positions of the alternate long-toed and shorttoed needles, illustrating clearly the manner of forming loops over` the pins 57. The lon g-toed needles are indicated by 68 and the short-toed needles by 68".

. As is well known in the art of knitting, when the heelor toe is to be formed, a porthe width of the" heel or toe. The width .is

narrowed by raisin g one needle at a time from IIO vthe series employed, which is done at each viz., the thread which passes through the` guide 69. After the requisite number of needles have been drawn out of action, as above described, the auxiliary cam 83 is lowered and the guide-block 87 thrown out of action by means of the nut 88, as previously explained. A partial revolution of the cam-cylinder and shaft 21 is now given in a direction to the right of Fig. 1. is not in operative position, of course neither the long-toed nor the short-toed needles are operated thereby, as the auxiliary cam merely passes beneath the toes of all the needles without affecting any of them. When the` long-toed needles are acted upon by the slidepiece 79, however, they are raised and a row of the loose back loops 94 is formed, as well as the short loops 92 therebetween, for the.

reason that, as previously stated, the pins of the pin-supporting plate are forced out radially at this point. In other words, the thread is knit into the fabric in the same manner as the second thread during the round- The cam-cylinder is` and round knitting. next given a partial Vturn in the opposite direction, or to the left of Fig. 1. This, as previously explained, will not revolve shaft 21,

inasmuch as the dog 33 is then not in engagement with the disk 29, and consequently the pins 57 are not thrown out radially. In turning the cam-cylinder to the left, also, the pin 70 of the stitch-cam 683 leaves its cam 72, and

consequently said stitch-cam is dropped,while the pin 70 of stitch-cam 68 rides up its cam 72, and consequently said stitch-cam 68 is raised, the parts retaining these relative positions so long as the cam-cylinder rotates to the left, for the same reasons as explained inregard to the reverse positions which they occupy when the cam-cylinder rotates to the right. Inasmuch as the slide-piece 78 extends inwardly far enough to engage the shorttoed needles, as well as the long-toed needles, it is obvious that all the needles are raised thereby in the rotation of the machine to the left, while at the same time, inasmuch as the pins 57 are not actuated, a stitchis made without the loose back loops therein, or, in other words, the thread is knit into the fabric in the same manner as the iirst thread during the round-and-round knitting to form the loops 93 or 100. The fabric produced by the reciprocating knitting is thus seen to be the tionary pin-supporting plate.

As the auxiliary cam same as that produced by the round-andround knitting.

In the rotation of the machine to the left in the reciprocating knitting, in order to avoid all danger of the shaft 21 being rotated by the friction of the dog 33 and the friction of the apertured boss 20, I provide the dog 61, which is pivoted to the depending hub 53 of the sta- As this dog 61 engages the notch of the collar 54, rotation of the shaft 21 to the left by frictional contact is successfully prevented.

Figs. 13 and 14 are views in elevation and plan, respectively, and on an enlarged scale, of afabric knit upon a machine having a cam ofthe form just described, and also provided with my attachment. It will be seen that the fabric consists of two thread-lines, one threadline, a, having a long loop 93 in one wale and a short loop 100 in the next Wale, the other, I?, floating, as at 94, behind the wales consisting of the long loops 93, but being formed into loops 92 in the other wales, which loops are drawn through the short loops 100 of the other thread-line a, said short loops 100 being drawn through the loops 92 last formed in the other thread-line b. By this arrangement an inner lining composed of successive adjacent lines of loose loops 94 is provided. I-therefore form a fabric which possesses the maximum amount of thickness, warmth, and softness, owing to the fact that the inner loops completely cover the small interstices in the web proper. The necessity, therefore, of sewing a separate lining to the fabric is avoided. Such separate inner linings are objectionable owing to the fact that they increase cost, and at the same time are apt to damage the fabric, as a sewing-needle is necessarily required in attaching such linings.

I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself in the description of the fabric and in the claims covering the same to two separate threads, as, from the previous description, it will be seen that while two threads are used in round-and-round knitting, yet in the reciprocating knitting only one thread is employed. The words threadlines in the description and claims should, therefore, be taken in the sense above indicatedthat is, as meaning to cover either two separate threads or a single thread, in accordance as to whether round-and-round knitstices of the web proper; and furthermore that the attachment is capable of forming such loose loops when adjusted to any of the ordinary forms of knitting-machines, especially good results being obtained when applied to a machine of the character described.

It is further to be noted that when the at- IOO IIO

IZO

tachment is applied the ordinary knit of the machine can be instantly secured, when desired, by throwing in the adjustable part 42 of the pin-cam by means of the bellcrank lever 46. Itis obvious that when this adjustment is secured the revolution of the pin-cam casing will not operate to throw the pins out.

It will be observed that the nut 23 not only acts as a washer, but furthermore, when turned, acts to raise or lower the shaft 21,

and consequently raise or lowerv the horizontal plane of the pins 57,whereby,the length of the loops formed by these pins may be regulated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire t'o secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, of a stationary needle cylinder, a revoluble cam cylinder, said cam cylinder provided with a plurality of yarn guides and with a plurality of cams, a shaft, means for rotating said shaft with the cam cylinder, aV pin-supporting plate, and means carried by the shaft for throwing the pins of the plate out radially at a point corresponding to the point of location of one of the cams of l the cam cylinder, substantially as described.

tion of one of the cams of the cam cylinder,

and means for adjusting `the cam which is farthest removed` from the outward throw 013 the pins into and out of action, substantially as described.

3. The combination, of a stationary` needle cylinder, a revoluble cam cylinder, said cam cylinder provided with a plurality of yarnguides, and with a plurality of cams, one of said cams, when the cam `cylinder is revolved in one direction, constructed to raise every alternate needle to a position to engage one of the yarns, and when said cam cylinder is revolved in the opposite direction, constructed to raise all the needles vto a position to engage said yarn, a shaft, means for rotating said shaft with the cam cylinder, when said cam cylinder is rotated in one direction, and for holding said shaft stationary, when the cani cylinder is rotated in the opposite direction, a pin-supporting plate, means carried by the shaft for throwing the pins of the plate out radially at a point corresponding to the point vof location of one of the cams of the cam cylinder, and means for adjusting the cam which is farthest removed from the outward throw of the pins into and out of action, substantially as described.

4. The combination, of a cam cylinder having a lug` projecting inwardly therefrom, a shaft, a casing rotatable with the shaft and having cams therein, a plate through which the shaft passes freely, said plate adapted to support a series of pins, which pins are actuated by the cams, a depending part from thel pin carrying plate, said depending part consisting of two sections, which when adjusted together leave a slot for the reception therein of the lug of the cam cylinder, and means for adjusting the width of said slot, substantially as described.

5. A knit fabric composed of two thread lines in each course, one thread line (a) having a long. loop in 011e Wale and a short loop in the next wale, as described, the other thread line (b) iioating behind the wales consisting of longloops, but being formed into loops in the other wales, which loops are drawn through the short loops of the other thread line (a) said short loops being drawn through the loops last formed in the other thread line Witnesses: s

M. D. W.\OLDER, CHAs. L. DERING.

for the purpose set forth. l 

